Monday, July 6, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Ghana Fashion Week
Ghana Fashion Week + Backstage Press Passes + Front Seats = Awesome.
Ghana Fashion week kicked off with designers from Ghana, Nigeria and Benin showcasing their talent in what can only be described as a night of music, wax cloth, heels, hip-hop, and all around fierceness. Check out some of my photos from the Night. And Ill upload some interviews I had with the designers backstage!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Internet Fraud in Ghana- A socially protected practice?
Every sunday, I help to host a show on a new station on Y FM Ghana, 107.7 FM on a show called "Fresh". The show is designed to target the Ghanaian youth, and we combine hip hop music and discussions about matters that affect the youth in Ghana. While I have been working on the show, we have discussed everything from sexual harrassment, to youth unemployment, to the "Sugar Daddy" phenomenon affecting young women. Listeners are invited to text in with their views and thoughts about the topic for the day.
Yesterday, we had a discussion about the practice of internet fraud, commonly referred to as "sacawa". People who use the internet to defraud people are often known as "sacawa boys" . Now the interesting thing about the use of the word "sacawa" to describe internet fraud is the fact that, from what I gather, " Sacawa" means "blood money" or the practice of using juju, or witchcraft, to get quick money. So the view is that many internet frauders use juju to defraud Westerners out of thousands of dollars of cash, whether it be through posing as females on internet dating sites to get money from western men, or by using email scams, or using stolen credit card numbers.
The facts are that internet fraud is on the rise in Ghana, and it is a practice that is blamed mostly on the youth. Unfortunately in Ghana, numbers of unemployed, out of school youth are very high. Thus, it comes as no surprise that many young people relish the opportunity to make quick money.
Many of the texters to our show echoed this idea. "Leave the sacawa boys alone!", one text said. Another said, "We dont hve jobs and cant afford school, so what else should we do?" Yet others said sacawa is actually HELPING the economy and is reducing crime on the streets. And many others yet said that internet fraud was a way to repay white people for the crimes they had perpetuated on Africa and blacks in general. Some of my friends in Ghana have thought about going into internet fraud but are afraid to use witchcraft. I've heard of young men buying flashy cars, computers, homes, and expensive clothes with stolen money. Even myself, I see internet fraud all the time in the cafe across my street. Young boys will come in, gather around the computer, prowling dating sites and sending messages to Western men pretending to be girls. One time, the cafe operator asked if he could use my voice to talk to one of his victims to prove he was an American girl!!
There are talks of a cyber crime bill going through Ghanaian parliament right now that would inrease jail penalties for those who are caught. But would it really work? In a society where jobs and education are denied for a large number of youth, and importance on money and Western style consumerism and materialism is growing, it comes as no surprise that internet fraud seems to be a supported practice by those in the youth. If the government really wants to combat this problem (if they see it as a problem at all, since most of those in government live plush lives anyway) there needs to be more jobs and opprtunities available to the youth.
Yesterday, we had a discussion about the practice of internet fraud, commonly referred to as "sacawa". People who use the internet to defraud people are often known as "sacawa boys" . Now the interesting thing about the use of the word "sacawa" to describe internet fraud is the fact that, from what I gather, " Sacawa" means "blood money" or the practice of using juju, or witchcraft, to get quick money. So the view is that many internet frauders use juju to defraud Westerners out of thousands of dollars of cash, whether it be through posing as females on internet dating sites to get money from western men, or by using email scams, or using stolen credit card numbers.
The facts are that internet fraud is on the rise in Ghana, and it is a practice that is blamed mostly on the youth. Unfortunately in Ghana, numbers of unemployed, out of school youth are very high. Thus, it comes as no surprise that many young people relish the opportunity to make quick money.
Many of the texters to our show echoed this idea. "Leave the sacawa boys alone!", one text said. Another said, "We dont hve jobs and cant afford school, so what else should we do?" Yet others said sacawa is actually HELPING the economy and is reducing crime on the streets. And many others yet said that internet fraud was a way to repay white people for the crimes they had perpetuated on Africa and blacks in general. Some of my friends in Ghana have thought about going into internet fraud but are afraid to use witchcraft. I've heard of young men buying flashy cars, computers, homes, and expensive clothes with stolen money. Even myself, I see internet fraud all the time in the cafe across my street. Young boys will come in, gather around the computer, prowling dating sites and sending messages to Western men pretending to be girls. One time, the cafe operator asked if he could use my voice to talk to one of his victims to prove he was an American girl!!
There are talks of a cyber crime bill going through Ghanaian parliament right now that would inrease jail penalties for those who are caught. But would it really work? In a society where jobs and education are denied for a large number of youth, and importance on money and Western style consumerism and materialism is growing, it comes as no surprise that internet fraud seems to be a supported practice by those in the youth. If the government really wants to combat this problem (if they see it as a problem at all, since most of those in government live plush lives anyway) there needs to be more jobs and opprtunities available to the youth.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Overwhelmed
I dont even know where to start. Yes, im here in Dallas, for two weeks while see my bro graduate....I have until June 3rd to submit a report for the embassy and June 4th to submit for a project im doing with AUCC in Adabraka. OVer the past few months while ive been away from this blog, ive experienced more sickness, more computer crashes...more trips to other regions...etc etc. But now im supposeed to write something? I have massive amounts of recordings I have to get through. There could stand to be some more interviews I could conduct. I just feel like this has crept up on me so fast.
And sometimes, I feel like I'm an amateur at all this. Maybe its because ive nver done something like this before, but I wonder..."Will anyone find this interesting/useful?" "Could I publish this?" Is there a way I could continue this in the future?
And obviously being back home for a while, Im glad to see friends and family, but I have a strange neutral feeling about being bacvk home. None of that culture shock I expected, but really I do feel like I have two homes, one in Dallas and one in Ghana. I was super sad to leave a special someone behind....but hopefully Ill see him again in Malawi in July...
THAT IS, AFTER OBAMA'S visit!!! :D
I do have some things I wish I had done differently on fulbright...I wish I hadnt worked so hard at my internship, in a sense...I think I found myself doing catch up with my own work, after doing everyone elses for them. I wish I had BACKED UP MY FILES!! I wish I had travelled more. I wish I had done an attachment at a radio station. I wish I had learned more Twi... But I mean, overall its been a great experience...I cant even process everything ive been through in the past months. Maybe thats why im bad at updating.
I really do have a passion for media and development. I want to see media stand up for the populations that cant stand up for themselves. I heard the CNN African Journalist of the Year for radio's entry, by Joy FM's Israel Laryea, about a girl who was being abused and how the community responded to it. Features like this need to have more prominence in Ghanaian media , as opposed to politics dominating the airwaves. I know I studied communications, but if I do go to school, I want to go back and learn more about broadcasting...
Now I am in the point where I have to decide what to do post fulbright..do I stay in Ghana? OR do I come back to the states and apply for school? Honestly, I would love to get a job at an organization that works in radio for development, anywhere on the continent...(well, the english speaking ones). I know I need to learn some more languages...perhaps French and Swahili....
Life decisions.....
And sometimes, I feel like I'm an amateur at all this. Maybe its because ive nver done something like this before, but I wonder..."Will anyone find this interesting/useful?" "Could I publish this?" Is there a way I could continue this in the future?
And obviously being back home for a while, Im glad to see friends and family, but I have a strange neutral feeling about being bacvk home. None of that culture shock I expected, but really I do feel like I have two homes, one in Dallas and one in Ghana. I was super sad to leave a special someone behind....but hopefully Ill see him again in Malawi in July...
THAT IS, AFTER OBAMA'S visit!!! :D
I do have some things I wish I had done differently on fulbright...I wish I hadnt worked so hard at my internship, in a sense...I think I found myself doing catch up with my own work, after doing everyone elses for them. I wish I had BACKED UP MY FILES!! I wish I had travelled more. I wish I had done an attachment at a radio station. I wish I had learned more Twi... But I mean, overall its been a great experience...I cant even process everything ive been through in the past months. Maybe thats why im bad at updating.
I really do have a passion for media and development. I want to see media stand up for the populations that cant stand up for themselves. I heard the CNN African Journalist of the Year for radio's entry, by Joy FM's Israel Laryea, about a girl who was being abused and how the community responded to it. Features like this need to have more prominence in Ghanaian media , as opposed to politics dominating the airwaves. I know I studied communications, but if I do go to school, I want to go back and learn more about broadcasting...
Now I am in the point where I have to decide what to do post fulbright..do I stay in Ghana? OR do I come back to the states and apply for school? Honestly, I would love to get a job at an organization that works in radio for development, anywhere on the continent...(well, the english speaking ones). I know I need to learn some more languages...perhaps French and Swahili....
Life decisions.....
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
OMG some pictures
Radio Station in Tamale Me, Drew (Another Fulbrighter) and the Vice President
My Flight Some Fulbrighters in September
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Heylo Peoples...
Life has been going okay. Unfortunately around Valentine's Day, I became really sick with some sort of fever from Malaria or something. Not cool, because Valentines Day here in Ghana is apparently a really big deal, and I wanted to go out and have fun! So instead I stayed in and watched DVDs instead. But a very special gentleman helped to brighten my day by bringing in Red orchids! Going to the hospital was terrible for malaria. I was having chills and aches, like I said. I went to Akai House near CDD. Immediately I was put on IV, but the terrible thing was was that the doctors couldnt get the needles in right! It took four tries to get a vein. By this time I wanted to kille everyone in the room. I had to get blood taken, as well as some painful injections in my bottom (OWCH)!! I couldnt walk properly for a day and a half. But the drugs helped. I was given some artesinate and painkillers and thankfully I was better in about 3 days or so. But getting sick here is terrible. Besides feeling terrible, I hate not being able to get work done. I lost about a week due to being sick. So now its only this week that I am catching up.
Wait, did I mention I went to Kumasi three weeks ago?? No? Well I had to go after losing my recordings. I went to Kapital Radio 97.1 with Drew. On the good side, I had a wonderful trip. Andrew and I went and talked with the crew at Kapital Radio and they are the nicest people on this planet. In fact, Kumasi people are amazing. Kumasi is not as loud, as smelly, as busy and in general as crazy as Accra. I need the break, the change of pace. Even though I went to Kumasi to try to recover recordings as a result of a technological disaster, I did gain more insight into what broadcasting is like in other parts of the country, in particuluar, what went on during the elections. They were even so nice as to give me some of their recordings from around election time which will help greatly. Andrew and I even recorded promos for the station using our voices, lol! It was so much fun. We toured the national cultural center ( had to deal with annoying french speaking tourists who totally disrespected teh tour guide by talking and wandering around and complaining) and went to Kejetia Market and bought cloth, ate strange intestine like foods.... I got a chance to practice my poor twi a lot as well. Kumasi is a beautiful place. My father's family is from there, but unfortunately, due to family drama, I was forbidden from seeing them. Its a sad thing I have to deal with here. I dont like the fact that due to reasons beyond my control, Im restricted from one half of my identity. Here I am, half Ashanti, and I have to learn about my own culture just like a regular tourist? Its not right. Here I am with family, and I have to struggle to find a hotel or lodge on my own? It doesnt make sense. But all that is for another post.
Right now, I spend my days running interviews with journalists, media trainers, and the like, and in the evenings, I signed up for a radio and tv presentation course at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. For 150 Ghana Cedies, Im learning how to use my voice in Queen's standard English. This is the first time in my life where Im being told that my American English is not English, but slang!! What?! I was elected assistant Class Prefect, lol, meaning I have to take care of the class and voice their concerns to the professor when necessary. I dont know how I end up in these situations but I do. Partially Im doing this for my research. I want to find out how journalists are trained.
But on the other end, perhaps a part of me wants to improve my voice to actually work in the media....(DUN DUN DUNNN)
Stay tuned!
-Karen
Wait, did I mention I went to Kumasi three weeks ago?? No? Well I had to go after losing my recordings. I went to Kapital Radio 97.1 with Drew. On the good side, I had a wonderful trip. Andrew and I went and talked with the crew at Kapital Radio and they are the nicest people on this planet. In fact, Kumasi people are amazing. Kumasi is not as loud, as smelly, as busy and in general as crazy as Accra. I need the break, the change of pace. Even though I went to Kumasi to try to recover recordings as a result of a technological disaster, I did gain more insight into what broadcasting is like in other parts of the country, in particuluar, what went on during the elections. They were even so nice as to give me some of their recordings from around election time which will help greatly. Andrew and I even recorded promos for the station using our voices, lol! It was so much fun. We toured the national cultural center ( had to deal with annoying french speaking tourists who totally disrespected teh tour guide by talking and wandering around and complaining) and went to Kejetia Market and bought cloth, ate strange intestine like foods.... I got a chance to practice my poor twi a lot as well. Kumasi is a beautiful place. My father's family is from there, but unfortunately, due to family drama, I was forbidden from seeing them. Its a sad thing I have to deal with here. I dont like the fact that due to reasons beyond my control, Im restricted from one half of my identity. Here I am, half Ashanti, and I have to learn about my own culture just like a regular tourist? Its not right. Here I am with family, and I have to struggle to find a hotel or lodge on my own? It doesnt make sense. But all that is for another post.
Right now, I spend my days running interviews with journalists, media trainers, and the like, and in the evenings, I signed up for a radio and tv presentation course at the Ghana Institute of Journalism. For 150 Ghana Cedies, Im learning how to use my voice in Queen's standard English. This is the first time in my life where Im being told that my American English is not English, but slang!! What?! I was elected assistant Class Prefect, lol, meaning I have to take care of the class and voice their concerns to the professor when necessary. I dont know how I end up in these situations but I do. Partially Im doing this for my research. I want to find out how journalists are trained.
But on the other end, perhaps a part of me wants to improve my voice to actually work in the media....(DUN DUN DUNNN)
Stay tuned!
-Karen
Friday, January 30, 2009
Last week was one of the worst...
It was last week ago thursday.....
I had my ipod, which has a powerful microphone attachment that I can use for recording purposes. I was attempting to transfer the files to my laptop through Itunes. I pressed Sync, not knowing that the fact that no files on Itunes means that itunes will replace all the files on Itune with what is on the computer.....
The computer erased my recordings from Nov. to Jan!!!! Almost 30 GB!!
I cried for about two days straight. How could I have been so dumb to do that? Why didnt I back up my files sooner? Why didnt I transcribe the interviews sooner? You know what goes on when things like this happen.....all sorts of defeatist and self deprecating thoughts cross your mind like...."Why the hell am I here?" "Can I even do this project?" "Why am I such an amateur?" Basically, I am now force to traipse around the radio stations and collect their recordings from around election time, which has led me to another conclusion..... People in the radio business keep poor records of their broadcasts and transcriptions, which will be a problem for those who attempt to do media research, and even for the stations themselves to monitor themselves. Its about to be a herculean task to go around teh country retreiving recordings, but ill do the best I can.
Ill say, with about 5 months left, that Ive become more focused on my project. I think that even though this mishap occured, its made me realize what is important for my peject and what is not. My thoughts and ideas are clearer, and I think what I want out of the research is more defined. I think without the recordings the data may not be as scientific as I would have liked, but I think it will still be good. As for the interviews I lost, I can reinterview, but unfortunately I cant get back the timing, the in the moment responses I would have gotten with teh elections hanging in the background. Ive also realized that even though CDD is great, I think I got too caught up in being an intern and being dragged into the election whirlwin that I didnt know what I was doing. But I am in talks with the African University College of Communications to set up an office there and make that my new base. It will be better, because there I willbe working with people who study media and who are training future journalists in communications and journalism. Its a better environment, I think.
But for now, im hustling, and after 5 months, parts of my project are taking shape. I have some great interviews back on record and some more good ones coming up. I think ill be okay.....
xoxox Karen
I had my ipod, which has a powerful microphone attachment that I can use for recording purposes. I was attempting to transfer the files to my laptop through Itunes. I pressed Sync, not knowing that the fact that no files on Itunes means that itunes will replace all the files on Itune with what is on the computer.....
The computer erased my recordings from Nov. to Jan!!!! Almost 30 GB!!
I cried for about two days straight. How could I have been so dumb to do that? Why didnt I back up my files sooner? Why didnt I transcribe the interviews sooner? You know what goes on when things like this happen.....all sorts of defeatist and self deprecating thoughts cross your mind like...."Why the hell am I here?" "Can I even do this project?" "Why am I such an amateur?" Basically, I am now force to traipse around the radio stations and collect their recordings from around election time, which has led me to another conclusion..... People in the radio business keep poor records of their broadcasts and transcriptions, which will be a problem for those who attempt to do media research, and even for the stations themselves to monitor themselves. Its about to be a herculean task to go around teh country retreiving recordings, but ill do the best I can.
Ill say, with about 5 months left, that Ive become more focused on my project. I think that even though this mishap occured, its made me realize what is important for my peject and what is not. My thoughts and ideas are clearer, and I think what I want out of the research is more defined. I think without the recordings the data may not be as scientific as I would have liked, but I think it will still be good. As for the interviews I lost, I can reinterview, but unfortunately I cant get back the timing, the in the moment responses I would have gotten with teh elections hanging in the background. Ive also realized that even though CDD is great, I think I got too caught up in being an intern and being dragged into the election whirlwin that I didnt know what I was doing. But I am in talks with the African University College of Communications to set up an office there and make that my new base. It will be better, because there I willbe working with people who study media and who are training future journalists in communications and journalism. Its a better environment, I think.
But for now, im hustling, and after 5 months, parts of my project are taking shape. I have some great interviews back on record and some more good ones coming up. I think ill be okay.....
xoxox Karen
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